Page 223 - Travels in Arabia (Vol 2)_Neat

204 COAST or ARABIA. [CH.

:
-
m ing to the Jolie'inali tribe. They were very
£ friendly, and supplied us with several sheep,
&
m taking rice in exchange.
M
The valley presents an extraordinary ap­
1 pearance, not unlike the dry bed of a river;

the upper part of the hills or banks on either
side projecting very considerably, so that
X
m
many large fragments, detached as if by the
s rush of a torrent, lie scattered throughout its
<v
bottom. So perfect was the resemblance, that
1
at first sight we found it difficult to attribute
these appearances to any other cause; but
discovered, on a closer inspection, that the
wind had blown away the soft sandstone
composing the lower part of the hills, and left
the upper and harder stratum without support,
until, separated by their own weight, the
masses fell into the valley below.

The entrance to Sherm Hose’i* is clear and
capacious, and about a mile from the beach,
in a north-easterly direction, are some wells
of very indifferent water. In consequence of
this deficiency, the Bedowins do not remain
here; but, when boats are detained for two
or three days by contrary winds, the Arabs,

* Hoesscj (Niebuhr).